1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally involves wireless control. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sensor interface for enabling wireless communication with a wired sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a growing concern over environmental responsibility and viability has prompted various measures to reduce energy consumption and ensuing costs. In commercial and residential settings, one solution is the use of a sensor for detecting certain environmental conditions and initiating a adjustment of an electrical load device (i.e., electricity-consuming device) in response to the detected condition(s). For example, some building installations (e.g., offices) have installed occupancy sensors to detect motion in a given location. An occupancy sensor wired to a lighting fixture, for example, may detect movement or lack of movement in a particular room and cause the lighting fixture to turn on or off in response. Such sensor may initiate such response by communicating with an actuator or switch of the electrical load device.
Issues with such a scheme may include inflexibility and difficulty and expense associated with retrofitting for changing and/or growing installations. For example, a sensor may have to be rewired when electrical load devices are added, removed, or relocated and when user preferences change. Such situations may require rewiring and reconfiguration of sensor settings to reflect the new arrangement and requirements thereof. While wireless control solutions may allow for increased flexibility, implementing wireless solutions may include installing new wireless sensors, which may be costly for some installations.
There is therefore a need in the art for enabling wireless communications with wired sensors.